Friday, 30 January 2015

Stop the six-lane M5 East tunnel destroying our area

The Liberal Government’s proposed Road Interchange at St Peters – part of the WestConnex proposal will put tens of thousands of extra vehicles and heavy vehicles on our streets.

In November last year, Liberal Premier Mike Baird and his close political associate Prime Minister Tony Abbott came to St Peters and announced the new six-lane M5 East tunnels will emerge at St Peters around Campbell Street.

Two years ago, when the WestConnex project was announced, I called it "A $10 billion lemon". It has now become a $20 billion "lemon". Nowhere in the WestConnex proposal are there any realistic costings (or any costings at all), there is no modelling, there are no plans and those proposing it don’t even know the route.

The NSW Auditor-General himself has said he was not sure “whether the project is a worthwhile and prudent investment for the NSW government”.

Having lost the battle to take over Tempe Reserve and Tempe Wetlands, the Liberals are now proposing the most outrageous of all proposals – a Road Interchange in St Peters, seizing part of Sydney Park and resuming people’s homes. Everyone’s property values will be impacted.

I’ve repeatedly raised this issue in Parliament and I’ve been in direct touch with residents, via letters, newsletters, and street meetings. The glib response by Premier Mike Baird has been “short term pain for long term gain” – that’s just insulting to those who live in the affected area.

With massive increases in population, our roads are already gridlocked heavy and dangerous vehicles travelling our narrow streets and a shortage of open space. It’s a nightmare.

To prevent this disaster you can help by signing my petition to present to the NSW Parliament. You can do that by either going on line and completing the online petition at tinyurl.com/stoptheinterchange

About Ron Hoenig

Ron Hoenig MP is the State Member for Heffron in the NSW Parliament.
He was elected to Parliament at a by-election on the 25 August 2012.
Prior to entering Parliament he was the Mayor of the City of Botany Bay, a position he held for more than 30 years. He was, and still is regarded by many as one of the most progressive Mayors in the Sydney metropolitan region.
He is a barrister and prior to entering parliament was a Public Defender for the State of New South Wales.
Ron Hoenig was born in Sydney and raised in Eastlakes, attending Eastlakes Public School, Daceyville Public School and The J.J. Cahill Memorial High School in Mascot.